


Yogwarts

by Pixilatedcorgi



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom, Yogscast
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 00:31:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10560360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixilatedcorgi/pseuds/Pixilatedcorgi
Summary: Israphel has risen. And instead of aurors searching to destroy him, the burden falls on the teachers of Hogwarts. Luckily, two gryffindor teachers, Lewis Xephos and Simon Honeydew know how to defeat him. Follow the collection of witches and wizards in their race to gain power and strike the dark wizard down.





	1. Top Teachers of the Wizard World

-Lysander Scamander  
As another educational year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry comes to a close, you may be wondering if your magical child should attend a school with such an infamous history. To better educateThe Quibbler's readers, our reporters have interviewed the staff and students of Hogwarts to shed some light on the teachers your children might study under.

Professor Lewis Xephos, Defense Against the Dark Arts, head of Gryffindor house. Although most students can vouch for his short temper and thrill seeking outbursts, being downright giddy during lessons dealing with more dangerous spells or creatures, almost all students regardless of house describe him as a very intelligent and caring teacher, often going to him for help or advice rather than the headmaster. In the Gryffindor commons room, rumors fly left and right about Professor Xephos's adventures, him being an ex-auror. More rumors fly speculating that he draws his impressive magical power from his elven father while others say it is from his pureblood mother, he says however that he got his power from his determination and experience. Because of his heritage one of his most striking features is his glowing eyes, a trait often given to those with partial elven ancestry. When we asked students about his patronus, several commented that a bumblebee would be all but useless in battle, but a select few teachers who have seen it fight a group of dementors say it is very effective and praise its maneuverability. With his fighting spirit and quickness to help others, it's no wonder that Professor Xephos made it to the Head of Gryffindor.

Professor Simon Honeydew, Ancient Runes, Gryffindor. Though Ancient Runes was a notoriously dull class when it was taught by Professor Grizwold, students say that Professor Honeydew really brings the class to life. The eccentric professor also functions as the groundskeeper of Hogwarts and is sometimes known to assist some troublemaking students by telling them some of the more secluded areas in the grounds. He is known to boast that he has such an easy time teaching the class because it is one of the root languages for Dwarfish. Being one of the first recorded wizard dwarves in history, Professor Honeydew is somewhat of a celebrity in the school, as well as one of only two teachers without human lineage. We inquired about his days as an auror, him being partnered with Professor Xephos at the time, but he refused to give an answer, saying that he suffered hardships he would rather not discuss. When we asked students about his patronus, everyone said that he enjoys showing the corgi to first and second years, and he even named it Mandrew. Admittedly not the brightest of Hogwarts's staff, Professor Honeydew is always prepared to help a student in need.

Professor Kimberly Nanosound, Divination, Gryffindor. Despite her small stature and kind voice, nearly all her students and co-workers described her akin to a Hungarian Horntail, with a temper quicker and hotter than fire. But when you catch her in a good mood and manage to keep her that way, she is a very caring, friendly, and loyal person, not to mention an animal lover. She is friends with most of her students and her relationships with other teachers vary from steadfast friends to bitter rivals. Despite going to the wizarding school Mahoutokoro in Japan, she has always wanted to teach at Hogwarts. In the kitchens, she runs a small cafe named "Nano's Noodle Brewery" which runs entirely on enchanted cookware if your child elects not to use house elf staffed kitchens. In divination she is very skilled because she uses her "seeing eye", her right eye which has been overtaken by flux, to divine instead of developing her powers through practice. When asked about her patronus Professor Nanosound said she is very fond of her Red Panda and summons it frequently for entertainment. Another talent she has is being both an animagus and a metamorphmagus, being able to shift into a wolf, still with flux markings, and is able to sprout red, dragon-like wings from her back. All in all, Professor Nanosound is a passionate, if eccentric, member of the Hogwarts staff.

Professor Duncan Lalna, Arithmancy, Head of Ravenclaw house. Although eccentric and at times immature, Professor Lalna is one of the brightest teachers Hogwarts has ever had. Being raised by two muggle parents, he has an infatuation with both muggle science and wizard magic, and has a home in Germany specifically made for science. Although his desire to combine the two has got him in trouble over the years, such as an accident involving Professor Proasheck in the WHIMS program, and the flux infection both he and Professor Nanosound have, which he spends most of his free time investigating. He became fast friends with Professor Nanosound after she replaced Madame Nubescu in Divination, them having much in common. Like her, his class involves predicting the future, he has an animagi of a wolf and is a metamorphmagi, and often uses this talent to grow fairy-like wings. Many students and teachers are very fond of Lalna's patronus, a cat he often calls Tiddles. Though his place as head of Ravenclaw does have some competition in the house, given his class's marks it seems to be a well deserved title.

Professor Hannah Lomadia, Flying and Care for Magical Creatures, Ravenclaw. One of the most powerful witches or wizards teaching at Hogwarts, Professor Lomadia can be a bit intimidating, but she strives to protect and educate everyone and everything around her, as long as they do the same. Your first year child will be required to take her flying class and should they join the quidditch team they will work with her frequently, as she coaches teams and referees matches. Students may also take her class on Care for Magical Creatures, in which she is quite the animal lover and is very knowledgeable with taking care of most creatures and fearless enough to interact with the more dangerous beasts. It is unknown if her owl patronus sparked her love of owls and birds or if it was a happy coincidence. There is some speculation that Professor Lomadia gets much of her power from the fact that she is a pure elf, as although rare, elven wizards are known to be skilled and powerful. Should your child need to contact her outside of class, she spends most of her time in the owlery or with Professor Nilesy, and at lunch can be found at the noodle brewery.

Professor Joakim Rythian, History of Magic and Alchemy, Ravenclaw. Though a very intimidating, mysterious, and powerful teacher, Professor Rythian is caring towards his students and co-workers, and is passionate about his classes. Born in Sweden to a wizard father and elven mother, not much else is known about his past. In his fifth year at Durmstrang institute he transferred to Hogwarts to have a higher education as he was at the top of his class. In his teaching career, though he says he prefers to teach Alchemy, the class doesn't always take place due to a lack in interested students. Because of this he is more commonly known as the History of Magic teacher, a class which requires lots of paperwork but can be quite interesting. To add to his intimidating demeanor, his striking purple eyes glow, making his death glare even more feared. On top of this, his patronus is a Komodo Dragon, one of the most deadly non-magical creatures. Despite these things, several students and teachers have come to adore his patronus, Professor Proasheck affectionately naming it Teep, and many younger Ravenclaws call upon him when they fear the dark. When not teaching he spends most of his time with his best friend, Professor Proasheck. He was known to spend much of his time as a student with her, and became increasingly protective of her after the WHIMS catastrophe. These days, Professor Rythian is most known for his ongoing battle for the spot of Ravenclaw head, a position which is currently filled by Professor Lalna. We can only wish him good luck in this endeavor.

Professor Liam Nilesy, Charms and Potions, Head of Hufflepuff house. Scotland born Professor Nilesy has recently risen in status from simple teacher to Hufflepuff Head. Since Professor Littlewood, the previous Hufflepuff head, left Hogwarts, there has been some controversy about his replacement. Nilesy was announced to replace Professor Sjin for the Head position at the end of the year, and students and teachers alike are proud of his accomplishments. Despite the added responsibility, he doesn't plan to change his focus from teaching, just "widen his perspective" as he said. Along with being a fantastic teacher, he is also very excitable and sociable, being able to talk to anyone about anything. Nilesy is friends with nearly every student and teacher in the school, and even became friends with the reporter interviewing him. He is also quite a pool building enthusiast, sometimes being called Professor Pool Boy, even by himself. He prides himself with every pool he builds, no matter how extravagant or simple. There are even rumors speculating about other pools and ponds around Hogwarts that he built but hasn't taken credit for. He is also known to be an avid fan of cats, including his cat patronus Fishbone, which he often summons when greeting 1st years or just to cheer someone up. With the head teacher being one of the most enthusiastic and friendly in the school, any child sorted into Hufflepuff house should prepare for a warm welcome.

Professor Zoeya Proasheck, Astronomy, Hufflepuff. Though "Coolest teacher in school" is a term said by Professor Proasheck herself, we couldn't find a soul in the school that disagreed with it. The truth is while being quite quirky, she is the kindest and most interesting teacher Hogwarts has to offer. After the disaster of the WHIMS program (Wizards Heavily Interested in Muggle Science) Professor Proasheck lost her right arm and it was replaced with an enchanted wooden prosthetic. Instead of dwelling on those memories, however, she became very proud of her new arm and the advantages it came with. While the arm was being designed, she wished to have her wand imbedded in the forearm, allowing her to do "wandless magic" in the palm of her hand or from the tip of her finger. Another thing that sets her apart from other teachers is she has a very rare patronus, a Leshi named Barry, which is a magical woodland creature that takes many forms, but her's prefers to be a large mushroom. In her Astrology class, she has been noted to be very enthusiastic about space, claiming she once tried to apparate to the moon. She says she has always been fascinated with the stars and what lies beyond them, and that this love possibly contributed to her love of science. Should your child need to find her outside of classes she is often found with her partner Professor Sabriel or her long term best friend Professor Rythian.

Professor Paul Sjin, Herbology, Hufflepuff. Though he is no longer the head of Hufflepuff house, Professor Sjin is still a skilled and enthusiastic Herbology teacher. Having spent last year as the head of his house, he was announced to be replaced by Professor Nilesy, and true to his house he holds no grudge against his successor. He told us he is very excited to focus all of his energy back on Herbology, co-taught with his good friend Professor Sips. Since Professor Sjin has taken the place as Herbology professor, the greenhouse has expanded, and he uses some of this space to grow his personal garden, offering extra credit to students who help him tend to it. Despite his friendly behavior to all who meet him, he is definitely to be respected, his patronus reflects this. His kangaroo patronus illustrates his caring nature, but also his ability to pack a punch when provoked. The truth is that you don't need to be a Hufflepuff to be fond of Professor Sjin.

Professor Steven Ridgedog, Transfiguration and Apparition, Head of Slytherin house. Possibly the most powerful and intimidating teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Ridgedog promises to keep troublesome students in line. After transferring from his teaching job at Terrovale Wizarding University in America, he has been known throughout the school to be the strictest with giving house points and the most likely to take them, and also has a reputation with drastic punishments that surpass Professor Nanosound'. One Ravenclaw says he took over a hundred points off of her house after the two got in an argument, another Slytherin says the Professor had him and a Gryffindor student stay behind for over three hours for cheating on a test. Contrary to this reputation with the students, most teachers know him as the most likely to cause trouble. Several practical jokes have been attributed to him, including sending his wolf patronus into a choir concert, filling the Defense classroom with doxies, and setting a complex spell on the telescope in the astronomy tower, resulting in it showing pages from the Daily Prophet, which took days to remove. While we can trust Professor Ridgedog to keep troublemakers in line, we must trust the staff of Hogwarts to do the same with him.

Professor Chris Sips, Herbology, Slytherin. Though one of the least serious teachers at Hogwarts, Professor Sips is an integral part of the school. In his third year attending Terrivale in America, he transferred to Hogwarts where he was quickly given a warm welcome in Slytherin house. These days, he does spend some of his time helping his friend Professor Sjin teach Herbology, mostly tending to the pots and beds of dirt rather than the plants, most of his time is spent acting as the Caretaker of the school. When he was a student he spent most of his time off in detention for his antics in the school, but now that he works here he said he jumped at the opportunity to "hand out the punishments for once." There is some prejudice against the Professor, being one of the many muggleborns teaching at the school and in Slytherin house, but he doesn't let any of it get to him. He says "If those ankle-biters have a problem with me they can see me in my office." Should any student try causing trouble, it is almost certain that Sips will diffuse any spells and confiscate any dung bombs. And with this year being the most troublesome, with several anonymous pranks and contraband going missing from storage, we hope that Professor Sips is ready for the job next year.

Professor Fiona Sabriel, Muggle studies, Slytherin. One of the newest teachers at Hogwarts, Professor Sabriel got the quite the warm welcome. Despite being a muggleborn teacher in Slytherin house, she was received well by the Hufflepuffs thanks to her relationship with Professor Proasheck. After spending some time working as security in shops in Diagon Alley, Professor Sabriel was invited to be a consultant in the WHIMS program, where she met Proasheck. Through her soon to be girlfriend, she was brought into the Hogwarts staff, being one of the most qualified to teach muggle studies. Professor Fiona is by no means the only muggleborn teacher but she spent the most time with muggles, since her family didn't have the funds to send her to Hogwarts at a young age and she remained in muggle society. She has befriended several students by teaching those struggling in Defense her tips about dueling, helping her establish better relationships with the rest of the school. Should you child need any help, academically or otherwise, Professor Sabriel is the best to call on.

Headmaster Kirindave. Eccentric, mysterious, and powerful, Headmaster Kirindave has been the secluded overseer of Hogwarts for nearly a decade. Before then he spent his time overseeing Terrovale, the American magic school, but he got a job at Hogwarts because of the troublesome antics in the school at the time, and was quite successful at quieting the place down. While he rarely shows his face on school grounds or elsewhere in public, he is known to be influential in many areas, including the Ministry of Magic. When he is seen in public however he can be difficult to recognize, as he uses metamorphmagic to change his appearance frequently, changing his face, height, and often gender. Thankfully he almost always has blue antlers and ram horns in all his forms. The horns he has are likely derived from his spectacular patronus, a questing ram. It is a very rare creature, and one is more likely to see Kirindave's patronus than one in real life. Due to his influence in the wizard world, we asked him about the rumors spreading about the return of a dark force, he declined to comment however and announced the interview to be over. If there is a dark power at large, we can only hope that he knows how to keep it at bay.


	2. Headmaster

After another long and educational year at Hogwarts, the last of the students are boarding the train to return to King's Cross, and in the empty halls, the teachers talk amongst themselves about the previous year and the year ahead. Outside of the Defense room, Professor Hannah Lomadia and Professor Kim Nanosound are having a bit of an argument. Kim wears an ankle length, asian style, red dress with gold trim on the hems, a slit up the left side of the skirt, and an opening revealing her upper back. She wears white leggings under the dress and red slippers on her small feet. Her long, black hair drapes across her shoulders and she has red flowers on each side of her head. A glowing blue necklace hangs around her neck, and she has green bracelets on either wrist. Purple flux markings cover both of her arms and the right side of her face, turning her right eye milky white while the left remains deep brown. Standing about a foot taller than her is Hannah, with shoulder length blonde hair, blue elven eyes, pointed ears, and a roman style nose. She wears a deep blue overcoat with two coat tails in the back and puffy sleeves. She has deep brown pants and brown leather boots and gloves. On her head sits a faux owl hat (not real owl obviously) and flying goggles.   
"I can't believe you hexed Fox, Kim! What are his parents gonna do when they see him!" Hannah all but shouts.  
"I think I let him off easy, honestly." Kim replies.  
"You wrote 'jerk' across his forehead in pimples!"  
"It'll only last a week...or two."  
"His parents will be pissed, and so will Headmaster Kirindave."  
"Oh, please! I've given worse punishments."  
"I know, I remember when you enchanted one of the Malfoy's clothes to fly him to the edge of the grounds and come back without him. He had to run back to his common room in his pants!"  
"That one was quite funny." Kim sniggers.  
"Not to his parents! Could you at least keep the crazy punishments in your house?"  
"I punish those who deserve it, nothing less." She ends. Down the hall she spots Professor Nilesy walking towards them. He dresses similar to a muggle, with a light green dress shirt and green tie, black pants and shoes. Over this, however, he wears long, black robes, tied together at the waist. On his head he has a black pointed hat with long black hair peeking out, rectangular glasses sit on his nose. He also wears a massive smile on his face.  
"Oh no, avert your eyes, Hannah. We are in the presence of Hufflepuff royalty!" Kim jokes once he is near. Nilesy does a grand bow.  
"Thank you, Nano. Great to be appreciated." He says in a thick Scottish accent.  
"So, how's it feel? Hufflepuff head? You excited?" Hannah asks.  
"Sjin had his turn this year, when the students come back I'll run the show! And it feels fantastic!"  
"Did you manage to say thanks to all the students who voted you head?" Kim asks.  
"Not all of them, sadly, but I did speak to prefect Schmidt. She thanked me for building the baths!" He responds.  
"Did you finally tell them then?" Hannah asks.  
"I haven't a clue what you mean, Lomadia." He says smugly.  
"Oh, come on! You've got to tell eventually, it's not helping letting rumors spread. I heard some Gryffindors that were convinced that you built the lake outside!" Hannah says.  
"Are you kidding me?" Kim laughs. "You mean that lake thats been there longer than Hogwarts?"  
"It's because he hasn't come clean about the baths!" Hannah says, exasperatedly.   
"I'd have thought one of your Ravenclaws would have figured it out by now!" He defends. From the other side of the door into Professor Xephos's office, muffled shouting could be heard.  
"Speaking of Ravenclaws, they're at it again." Hannah says.  
"Again? That's the third year in a row!" Nilesy says. The shouting escalates and a small crash can be heard, Kim says.  
"That's it I'm going in there." She throws open the door and Hannah and Nilesy follow her in. Lewis's classroom has many cluttered shelves, lined haphazardly with potions and old books. There are desks filed in rows leading from the door to the front of the room, where three tall men stand around the head desk. On the floor near them is a small pile of books and some papers still settling. Professor Lewis Xephos stands behind the desk, one hand supporting him as he leans on the table, the other massaging his temples. His brown hair is cut short, his goatee is finely trimmed, and his blue eyes glow. His red, admiral style coat is fastened around his chest with gold buttons, and decorated with many gold braids on the front, shoulders, and hems. Standing to the left of the table is Professor Rythian, his purple eyes glowing, his skin dark, and his hair brown, save for a blonde streak. He wears a mask covering his mouth and nose, fastened around the back of his head. He has a white cloak, now grayish with age, with purple lapels and the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. A deep purple scarf is wrapped around his neck and hangs behind him. Also hanging from his neck is a green amulet on a silver chain. To the right of the desk is Professor Duncan Lalna. He has a scruffy beard, and his messy, blonde hair is obscured only by a pair of copper goggles with green tinted lenses. His white, caped cloak goes down to his knees and the cape ends at his elbows. He has black leather gloves on each hand that nearly meet his sleeves at the elbow. Purple flux markings snake their way up his arm and on his left side, showing through the cloak but not the gloves, and across the bridge of his nose, turning both his eyes purple.  
"You shouldn't be involved in this, Kim." Duncan starts.  
"Like hell, if anyone's gonna start throwing things it's gonna be me." Kim retorts.  
"Guys, you should really stop fighting," Nilesy starts. "This is going to escalate eventually and with you two there could be a lot of collateral."  
"No one's fighting, Rythian's just having his annual tantrum." Hannah mutters.  
"Stay out of this, Lomadia!" Rythian shouts in a Swedish accent.  
"As much as I disagree with her brashness, she's right," Lewis says. "Three years in a row? This is getting a bit ridiculous."  
"I know I promised to drop it last year, but with the change of head in Hufflepuff, I thought I would have a better chance." Rythian defends. "I have a record of being much more reliable and competent than Professor Lalna, and my classes are much more important studies than his."  
"What do you mean your classes are more important?" Duncan challenges. "You're hardly ever teaching Alchemy because no one bothers to take it, and you're not exactly doing complex spells in History!"  
"Arithmancy isn't real magic, just clever maths!" Rythian defends.  
"Oh, again with this 'real magic'! You tell me what real magic is when I predicted not only the winning house of the house cup, but the points each house got CORRECTLY!"  
"Alchemy is twice the amount of magic Arithmancy is!" Rythian persists.  
"Bullshit! You know I would have been just as qualified for the Alchemy position had you not strong armed me. You're still pissed at me for the science program! Ever since the accident, you've written off science and are constantly starting fights with Sjin and I!"  
"You both made these arguments last year," Lewis interrupts. "And the fact stands that the head of Ravenclaw is a Ravenclaw matter. You should be asking Professor Lomadia to vouch for you." He explains.  
"Not bloody likely." Hannah mutters.  
"But Headmaster Kirindave also has a say in the heads of houses, and you have some of the most influence with him. Ridgedog doesn't care about Ravenclaw, Lewis I need your help."  
"I'm sorry, Rythian," Lewis says. "But if you want the Headmaster's help you should really ask him." The door bursts open again, and a tall man with ginger hair and beard, white jabot collar with a blue pin, and long black cloak with gold accents strides in.  
"You might as well, he's asking for all of us." Professor Ridgedog says.


	3. Assembly

The seven of them walk quickly through the halls on the way to Kirindave's office. Ridgedog leads at the front, his coat like a sail behind him, Lewis walks a few paces behind him, Duncan and Kim side by side behind Lewis, then Hannah, Nilesy, and Rythian. Lewis speeds up to ask Ridgedog,  
"Do you know why Headmaster Kirindave wanted to see us?" Ridge shrugs and says,  
"He didn't say, just told me to get all the teachers to his office. Mentioned you and Professor Honeydew specifically though."  
"Why them?" Kim asks.  
"I don't know, but it didn't sound good." Ridge says.  
"Could it have something to do with your time as aurors?" Hannah suggests.  
"Maybe," Ridge ponders.  
"I hope not." Lewis remarks. The group reaches the door to the Headmaster's office, though it's not so much a door as it is a statue of a ram. Professor Ridgedog says the password,  
"Golden apple." And the ram turns to it's side and splits in half, revealing the office. Paintings of bickering headmasters and fields of swaying grass hand from the walls, the floors are covered in old carpets and rugs, and crystal chandeliers dangle from the ceiling. Sitting behind the paper covered desk is the headmaster himself. He has blonde hair, mutton chops, striking blue eyes, blue antlers growing from his head, and he wears hooded robes that are black with blue hems. Surrounding his desk are the rest of the teachers. Professor Honeydew sits in a large armchair, with his usual attire of a gray fez and sash and his bushy orange beard covering most of his small body. Standing by a window is Professor Sjin, sunlight is making his moustache and goatee shine and he is wearing white robes with orange decoration and a silver square amulet. Professor Sips leans against the wall next to him, his hair black and skin pale, and his outfit is almost identical to Sjin's except for where Sjin's clothing is orange, Sips's is blue. Sitting in an antique sofa holding hands are Professor's Zoey Proasheck and Fiona Sabriel. Zoey has short, red hair and a wooden right arm, and she wears purple robes, white boots, and a rainbow cloak. Fiona has curly brown hair and magic tattoos on each shoulder, and she wears a black sleeveless cloak and a rainbow strip of cloth tying her hair back. Kirindave notices the arrivals and stands up.  
"I'm afraid we don't have time to spare so I can't ease you all into this. But Israphel is back, and he's growing stronger in power."  
"The hell do you mean he's back!" Sips shouts.  
"It was all over the news, he's dead! He has to be!" Sjin adds.  
"It appears that when Professor's Xephos and Honeydew killed him, he had one or more horcruxes that had not been destroyed, preserving his soul. And through the remnants of his followers he has a new body and is continuing his plan of world destruction." Kirindave explains.  
"Well we've got to stop him!" Fiona says.  
"What are we gonna do! We're just teachers." Hannah asks.  
"The ministry disagrees." Kirindave says. He picks up his wand and uses it to levitate folders into the hands of Lewis, Hannah, Zoey, and Rythian.  
"The Minister of Magic has received threats from Israphel to terrorise the ministry into submission, and while he has no intention to surrender he believes that sending aurors after him would cause suspicion and if the public found out there would be panic. I assured him that you, and a few other wizards, would find him and kill him properly. In those files are the wizards you need to meet with, you'll be splitting up into groups to make sure that they are safe and on our side." The four with folders start looking through the papers within.  
"Professor Xephos and Honeydew will be meeting with William Strife and Alex Parvis, the two heads of Strife Solutions. Mr. Strife is a squib that hired Mr. Parvis to do any magic related jobs for him while he maintains the business. The two are very powerful when working together and are a neutral party looking for their own benefit, you two must make sure that they fight with us rather than against." Lewis nods and Kirindave continues explaining.  
"Professors Rythian, Sips, and Sjin will be," he starts.  
"Wait, I have to go with them!" Rythian shouts. Kirindave's glare is enough to stop him in his tracks, but he explains himself.  
"Headmaster, Professor Sjin and I have... never gotten along well, and I believe that being in the same group would make it difficult to be productive.."  
"The men your group are meeting are very difficult to work with, and I find it extremely unlikely that you would ever be able to reach out to them. Sips and Sjin would make the best connection with these men, but I believe they would have trouble keeping on track on their own, and that you are the most qualified to make sure they are efficient. Do you have any other problems with my decision, Professor Rythian?" Kirin challenges. Rythian doesn't respond, and Kirin continues.  
"The three of you will be meeting with Alex Alsmithy, Chris Trottimus, and Ross Maximus of the Pointed Hat. They are also motivated solely by benefit so a deal will most likely need to be made in order to keep them on our side. These three can be destructive when working together so we need to ensure they will not be joining Israphel. The third group, Professors Proasheck and Sabriel, will be meeting with Professor Littlewood,"  
"Oh, Martyn! I've missed him!" Zoey interrupts.  
"Yes, we know that he is a very skilled wizard, but we also need to bring him back to Hogwarts for his protection. Being the son of Swampy Bogbeard and living in his old swamp makes him a likely target of Israphel."  
"What am I doing, my folder doesn't have any names?" Hannah asks.  
"Your group isn't looking for anyone. You and Professors Nilesy, Lalna, and Nanosound will be collecting the items on that list, which are located deep in the forbidden forest. You will be leading the party because you're one of the few who knows where it is." He explains, putting emphasis on the last sentence. Hannah nods.   
"While you all are out completing your tasks, Professor Ridgedog will stay here and help me fortify the castle." Kirin ends. They all stand awkwardly waiting for more orders.  
"Well, what did I say about no time to spare?" Kirin asks, making a shooing motion with his hands. Everyone then groups up and rushes out of the room. Once in the hall, Hannah's team flies off on brooms and wings and everyone else apparates away to their missions.


	4. The Forrest

Four teachers of Hogwarts fly far above the forbidden forest. Hannah and Nilesy fly side by side on broomsticks, while Duncan and Kim follow on their wings, Duncan with fairy-like wings and Kim with Dragon-like ones. Before Nilesy can even ask where they are going, Hannah starts flying downwards towards a clearing in the trees, and the other three follow. She hops off her broom, carries it on her shoulder, and confidently walks down a narrow, tree lined path, not even making sure her friends were following.  
"So, what was on that list Kirin gave you?" Duncan asks.  
"It looks like a bunch of items for a complex spell or potion, but I'm not sure, it's not my area." Hannah replies.  
"If it's a potion I could probably identify it, could I have a look?" Nilesy suggests. Hannah nods and hands him the list, and he reads it intently.  
"This looks a lot like the recipe for a Mopsus potion, but with a few elements added in, probably to strengthen it by the looks of it." He says.  
"It's probably to help find those Horocruxes." Duncan thinks aloud.   
"Even so, this potion is pretty complex. I'm not even sure if it would work, some of the stuff on this list I've never heard of, let alone seen used in potions." Nilesy elaborates.  
"So you know where all that stuff is?" Kim asks. Hannah looks back at them and smirks.  
"Yep, it's right through here." She says. She reaches what looks to be a dead end in the path, a large tree trunk blocking the way, and she points her wand at it. She says,  
"Mobiliarbus." And the tree slides aside, revealing a cave. She walks down into it with the others apprehensively following. After a few minutes of following the tunnel, guided only by wand light, Hannah draws back a curtain of vines and steps into a large stone room with dirt and grass on the ground. In the center of the room is a pool, somewhere between the size of a puddle and a small pond, but instead of water there is a shimmering purple substance leaking white fog. Surrounding the pool are several flowers, saplings, and mushrooms.   
"Woah!" Kim exclaims. "What is this place?"  
"It's a portal to the twilight forrest." Hannah explains. "Kirin keeps it top secret, only he, Simon, and I know about it. He wants to protect the portal from greedy wizards who would colonize it and make the magical creatures living there less safe."  
"Why you and Simon?" Duncan asks.  
"Because he's the gamekeeper, he knows every nook and cranny of the grounds, and I only know because I always substitute for him when he's away."  
"So the stuff on that list is through this portal?" Kim asks.  
"Yep, well some of it, most of it is probably in the potions room but some of the things on that list can only be found through here."  
"Well, no time like the present! No time to spare and all that!" Kim says enthusiastically. She lifts herself off the ground with her wings and flies headfirst into the portal.  
"Kim, wait!" Duncan shouts, flying after her. Hannah and Nilesy laugh and fly through on their brooms. Once on the other side, it takes a moment for them all to adjust to the natural beauty of the forrest. Behind them is a forest of towering trees the height of skyscrapers and mushrooms of a similar size, a sparkling river flows beside them, with deer gathering at its banks, and before them are rolling hills and a breathtaking sunset, obstructed only by a complexly beautiful castle, with tall spires and twisting stairways visible even from a distance.   
"Wow." Kim says simply. Duncan sighs and says,  
"Yeah, wow..." They stand in silence for a few moments, taking in the glorious view, before Hannah clears her throat and says,  
"Right, so, hand me that list again, will you?" Nilesy quickly shakes his head, coming to his senses, and hands her the parchment. She looks over the list and inspects her surroundings, looking for their next course of action.  
"Right..." She says. "It looks like the closest item on the list will probably be in the forest."  
"What are we looking for?" Duncan asks.  
"Torchberries. They're yellowish-white and grow underground so we need to find some sort of crevice or cave. Don't damage them when you find them, the berries will set fire if they're squished or broken." She explains. The four of them head into the forrest, trying to stay on task and not get distracted by the abundance of flora and fauna.  
"What are those little guys over there? I've never seen one before." Kim asks.  
"Those are Pesh, they're a lot like goblins but less stuck up." Hannah explains.  
"And those little blue ones?"  
"Oh, those are Kobolds, stay away from them. They're a lot like house elves with the attitude of a pixie."  
"Haha, noted." Kim chuckles. She looks by the river and sees a group of deer and walks over to them, with Duncan following bemusedly. The deer, never having seen a human before, walk to her as well and she laughs gleefully as they meet. Hannah chuckles at the sight, but her attention is torn away by the sound of Nilesy yelping, followed by a loud thud that scares the deer off.   
"Nilesy?" Hannah shouts with concern.  
"Down here!" His voice answers from a hole in the ground the others had missed. The three peer over the edge of the hole and see Nilesy laying on his back about three meters down, readjusting his glasses and patting dirt off of his shoulders.  
"Having fun down there?" Hannah jokes.  
"Oh, hardee har!" Nilesy replies, rolling his eyes. "I'll have you know I'm having a wonderful time!"  
"Well, good job finding a hole!" Duncan says.  
"More like the hole found him." Kim chuckles.  
"Hannah, didn't you say Torchberries were kinda yellow?" Nilesy asks.  
"Yeah?" Hannah leans over the edge, peeking her head into the hole and sees a cluster of yellowish-white berries hanging from the ceiling on green stems.  
"Oh! Great find, Nilesy!" She congratulates. Nilesy picks himself off the ground with a smug look on his face while the others carefully hop into the hole, Hannah with berries in hand.  
"Well, thats one item off the list, but we might want to pick up a few more just to be safe. And while we're down here, we should look for Liveroot, it's mostly brown with bright green veins." She says, while walking off down the cavern with her friends in tow. Above ground, perched in a tree are a man and woman, staring at the hole the group had just gone down. The man turns to the woman and says in a deep voice,  
"Do you know the plan?" The woman giggles, then before his eyes she morphs into a familiar form. Her height decreases, her hair grows rapidly and turns dark, and her arms are overtaken by swirling purple markings, as is half of her face. She turns to look at the man with one brown eye and one milky white, and says,  
"Sure thing, boss!" The man lets out a sinister bark of laughter, then turns his attention back to the hole. He, too, changes his shape, becoming taller with broader shoulders. His hair turns blonde and untamed with tufts of hair growing from his chin. His face and arms blossom with swirling purple marks and his eyes turn a similar shade.  
"Run while you can, Professors." He chuckles. "But you can't run fast enough."


	5. The Swamp

Professors Zoey and Fiona apparate to a secluded area in the middle of a desert, the only landmark for miles, a large walled off oasis, happens to be just a few meters away. The walls are several meters high, made of sandstone, and serves as the barrier between the harsh desert and a lush tropical forest, complete with it's own flowing river and an enormous tree easily visible even from over the impressively tall wall. Zoey walks up to a small door in the side of the wall and knocks twice. Although she doesn't knock very hard the sound echoes around as if she had struck a massive drum. A few seconds after, the door is flung open by a moderately tall blonde man. He wears a black strip of cloth tied around his forehead, keeping his hair out of his face, a green t-shirt with a swirling symbol on the front, denim pants that don't reach his ankles, sandals, and an oversized forest green cloak.   
"Zoey?" He says incredulously. "Oh my gosh, Zoey! I haven't seen you in ages." He immediately sweeps her into a bear hug, which she eagerly reciprocates.   
"Martyn! It's been too long!" Zoey exclaims. They release each other from the hug and look at each other.  
"Oh, you look just the same." Zoey notices.  
"I'll take that as a compliment." He chuckles, earning a similar laugh from her. A small cough is heard from behind them, and they notice Fiona awkwardly standing close by.  
"Oh, yes! Martyn, this is my girlfriend, Fiona. She took over your position in Muggle studies after you left." Zoey introduces. Martyn and Fiona shake hands.  
"Of course, hello Fiona. Well, come in you two. Don't want you two baking out here in this heat." He ushers the two women through the doorway and into the refreshing tropical climate. He leads them between trees in a twisting, seemingly untravelled path, up to the very largest tree. A doorway is imbedded in the base of the tree, revealing it to be mostly hollow, and a ladder inside ascends to the very top of the tree. Martyn quickly heads up the ladder, informing his guests to follow, and they soon reach a disheveled yet comfortable looking loft nestled in the canopy. The branches of the tree are used to naturally construct the irregularly shaped room, with the width between the floor and ceiling or any opposite walls not being the same in any two places. The carpet is made out of lush grass, even though they are far above any sort of soil, and the room is lit by the perfect amount of sunlight filtering in from the leafy ceiling. The room itself has collections of unique furniture in various places, with several different "rooms" without any need for walls. The sitting area consists of three chairs, none of them similar to each other, and a small, ornate table. That area seamlessly transitions into the dining area, with a large oval table is surrounded by several more unique chairs, most being somewhere between chairs and stools while a few were closer to thrones. After that was a bedroom with a king size bed, topped with several pillows and blankets, but in place of a bed frame is a large hammock, secured to the ceiling with four thick vines. Just beyond the sleeping area is a balcony with a gorgeous view of the oasis, with golden sunlight shining through the opening, illuminating the objects nearest to it and casting shadows behind them. Zoey lets out a small gasp, being previously unaware that a loft could look this beautiful.  
"It's amazing." She breathes. Martyn looks the tiniest bit confused.  
"Yeah? I haven't noticed too much. I've spent a lot of time up here while I was little, and one gets used to things when you spend two years here on your own." He says simply. He guides them over to the sitting area and they all have a seat.  
"Speaking of on my own, how've things been at Hogwarts whilst I've been away?" He asks excitedly.  
"Well, Fiona's gotten a job, but you already knew that. Duncan's still the head of Ravenclaw, despite Ryth's best efforts. Hufflepuff's been having trouble getting a new head, at first it was Sjin, but Nilesy just replaced him..." Zoey tells.  
"Nilesy? Head of Hufflepuff? Oh man, that's great! I knew he had it in him!" Martyn laughs.  
"And on a more important note," Fiona interrupts. "Hogwarts is in danger, as is most of wizard kind and you. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Israphel is back." Martyn's face falls, shifting suddenly from nostalgia into fear.  
"B-but he can't, he can't be!" He stutters. "My dad always told me of how he was defeated, Lewis and Simon, they killed him, he's dead, he has to be!"  
"I'm really sorry, Martyn, but he is back, and we need to get you back to Hogwarts where you'll be safe." Zoey says.  
"Why wouldn't I be safe? What's he got against me? I'm just a teacher, not even that anymore!"  
"Well, you are pretty powerful for a teacher, not to mention the only son of Swampy Bogbeard who was an enemy of... him. And also he might come and try to destroy the swamp, just for revenge or something." Zoey explains.  
"Well, if he is back, and he's coming to destroy the swamp, I have to stay and protect it. It's my father's life's work and I cant just leave it to be burned down, not after all the work the both of us put into it!"  
"It's not just that, Martyn, we need you to come back and help us take Israphel down, for good." Fiona pleads. Martyn considers this for a few moments, weighing the importance of joining the fight against protecting his home.  
"Okay, if you guys really need my help." He decides. Zoey represses the urge to be gleeful in this moment, knowing it was a difficult decision for him and he might change his mind, also a situation like this was no time to be giddy. She simply smiles and says,  
"Good to have you on board, Martyn." Her and Fiona wait outside on the balcony while he packs a small white satchel with the essentials. Once he is fully packed he meets them on the balcony and takes a few moments to look over the swamp, hoping with every fiber of his being that he would see it again. Then he simply nods to Zoey and the three of them apparate back to Hogwarts.


End file.
